Lauri Lehtinen

For the Finnish sports sailor, see Lauri Lehtinen (sailor). For the Finnish footballer, see Lauri Lehtinen (footballer).
Lauri Lehtinen
Lauri Lehtinen in 1931
Personal information
Born10 August 1908
Kerkkoo, Porvoo, Finland
Died4 December 1973 (aged 65)
Helsinki, Finland
Height1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight64 kg (141 lb)
Sport
SportAthletics
Event1500–10000 m
ClubHT, Helsinki
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)1500 m – 3:55.5 (1931)
5000 m – 14:16.9 (1932)
10000 m – 30:15.0 (1937)[1][2]
Medal record
Representing  Finland
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1932 Los Angeles 5000 m
Silver medal – second place 1936 Berlin 5000 m

Lauri Aleksanteri Lehtinen (10 August 1908[3] – 4 December 1973) was a Finnish long-distance runner, winner of a controversial 5000 m race at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Lehtinen ran a new world record in 5000 m (14:17.0) just a month prior to the Olympics, thus becoming a main favourite to the Olympic 5000 m title. In the final, the Finns Lehtinen and Lauri Virtanen led early. They managed to shake off all other competitors except Ralph Hill from the United States. Soon the race turned into a battle between Lehtinen and Hill. On the last lap, Hill tried to overtake Lehtinen. Seeing this, Lehtinen blocked his way, zig-zagging from one lane to the other to the great exasperation of the crowd. At the finish, Lehtinen crossed first a mere 50 centimetres ahead. Although this was a common tactic in Europe, the American audience was unaccustomed to it, so they booed. Hill declined to file a protest. They both recorded an identical time of 14:30.0. This was the only Olympic race longer than 200 metres in which the top two finishers recorded identical times.[1][4]

At the 1936 Summer Olympics, Lehtinen defended his title, but finished second, after his fellow countryman Gunnar Höckert.[1]

In 1940, Lehtinen donated his Los Angeles gold medal to a soldier who had served with distinction on the Karelian Isthmus. Lehtinen's gesture was a mark of respect for Höckert, who was killed in action on the Isthmus.[1]

In Kerkkoo village in Porvoo, there is a road named after him, "Lauri Lehtisen Tie."

  1. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference r1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference r4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Martti Jukola (1932). Athletics in Finland. W. Söderström osakeyhtiö, Porvoo. p. 71.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference r2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).